CDC says babies need MMR vaccine for measles before traveling abroad

April 7, 2011|By Linda Shrieves, Orlando Sentinel

The Centers for Disease Control announced today that it is investigating seven cases of measles in American babies who traveled overseas and caught the disease. None had received the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella.

This comes one day after reports that some tourists to the Orlando area returned home with the measles — and could have caught the disease here.

Although measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, it is still present in other regions of the world, including Western Europe. Imported cases continue to occur among U.S. residents returning from foreign travel and among foreign visitors to the United States.

The risk of complications or death from measles is highest among young children. In the first two months of 2011, seven cases of measles were reported among 6- through 23-month-old American infants who traveled abroad. Four of the children were hospitalized due to severe measles-related complications.

Although all seven children had been eligible for vaccination before travel, none had received the MMR vaccine, the only measles-containing vaccine currently available in the United States.

The CDC is reminding parents that travelers of all ages should be up to date with their vaccinations before traveling abroad.

Considering the high risk of measles complications in children, infants aged 6 to 11 months should receive one dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine before traveling internationally, and children aged 12 months and older should receive two doses (separated by at least 28 days).

Physicians should consider measles as a possible diagnosis of rash illness among patients with a recent history of international travel.